Fragrance comparison

Dryad vs Retrospection

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 12 Oct 2026 651 ratings analysed

Dryad

Papillon Artisan Perfumes

4.15617 votes

Rank #2,400 AromaticGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Retrospection

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.5934 votes

Rank #18,128 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Retrospection takes 4 of 8 categories.

Dryad
Choose it for a aromatic and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Retrospection
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Dryad3/8

Retrospection4/8

Ratings & consensus: Dryad
Community sentiment: Dryad
Longevity: Retrospection
Sillage & projection: Retrospection
Value for money: Retrospection
Versatility: Retrospection
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Dryad

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

DryadPapillon Artisan Perfumes

RetrospectionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 617 votes

Have 31%Had 8%Want 61%

3.59/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 30%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerDryadRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

28%Like

11%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

617 votes

24%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

12%Dislike

6%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerDryadMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityRetrospection

SillageRetrospection

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRetrospectionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

green92%

earthy84%

woody77%

balsamic69%

mossy61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

animalic84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and green

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top20-30 mins

GalbanumTarragonClary SageThymeBitter OrangeCitronBergamot

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusOrris RootCostusApricotOrange BlossomLavender

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossVetiverPeru BalsamBenzoinStyrax

Top15-30 mins

GalbanumAldehydesBergamotWormwoodLavenderRosemaryPetitgrain

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineGeraniumCorianderRoseClary SageCloves

Base8-10+ hrs

OakmossCivetLeatherBeeswaxMuskOrris RootVetiverSandalwood

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer57

Fall0

Winter38

Day100

Night50

Spring86

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day73

Night100

Category winnerRetrospectionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men10

Unisex74

Women16

Casual 37%Work 32%Date 21%Party 11%

Men65

Unisex23

Women12

Date 31%Work 28%Casual 23%Party 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,400

PerfumerLiz Moores

Launched—

Reviews106

Overall rank#18,128

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerDryadHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Papillon Artisan Perfumes Dryad captures the wild, untamed spirit of an overgrown temperate forest in late spring. It opens with an electric shock of bitter galbanum, aromatic tarragon, and tart bergamot that hits the nose with sharp herbal bite. Within twenty minutes, the initial shock softens into dusty narcissus, p…

Reviews →

Retrospection by JMP Artisan Perfumes resurrects the bold, unapologetic swagger of traditional masculine perfumery from the late twentieth century. Created by Polish independent perfumer Jakub Pietrynka, this composition opens with a sharp burst of bitter galbanum, soapy aldehydes, and zesty bergamot. Within minutes, …

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Dryad or Retrospection?

Retrospection takes 4 of 8 categories. Dryad is rated 4.15/5 from 617 votes; Retrospection is rated 3.59/5 from 34 votes. Choose Dryad for a aromatic and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Retrospection for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Dryad or Retrospection?

Retrospection lasts longest (Retrospection 80/100, Dryad 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dryad or Retrospection?

Retrospection projects furthest (Retrospection 71/100, Dryad 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dryad and Retrospection smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and green accords. Common notes include Galbanum, Clary Sage, Bergamot and Orris Root.

Is Dryad or Retrospection better for summer or winter?

For summer, Dryad is the stronger pick. For winter, Retrospection is the stronger pick. Dryad suits daytime wear; Retrospection suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dryad and Retrospection?

Dryad has top notes of Galbanum, Tarragon, Clary Sage and Thyme, heart notes of Narcissus, Orris Root, Costus and Apricot, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Peru Balsam and Benzoin. Retrospection has top notes of Galbanum, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Wormwood, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Oakmoss, Civet, Leather and Beeswax.